Bill Shontz   Tommy Hook

TOMMY HOOK
I went to school in Martinville,
Where noone ever read.
The yearly, statewide “Smart School Quiz”
Filled the town with dread.
The contest day was drawing near,
No volunteer was found,
To represent our school against
the other schools around.

The principal said
“Hasn’t anyone here cracked a book?”
The only one to answer “Yes” was a kid
named Tommy Hook.
The cafeterialaughed and roared, when
Tommy raised his hand.
The principal ignored them, He said,
“Tommy you’re the Man!”

Chorus:
Read, read, read.
That’s all that Tommy did.
Read, read, read.
He was a readin’ kind of kid.

On contest day, the finest schools had sent
Their brightest crowd.
Private prep was favored;
They were confident and proud.
They even called us “Moronville”.
They laughed and then they looked,
When in walked their worst nightmare,
That kid called Tommy Hook.

The host asked all the questions to the
Schools from every town.
The teams that answered most correct
Moved to the next round.

Finally it was Tommy’s turn
And everybody groaned;
Sure that like in years gone past,
We’d loose and all go home.

When Tommy stepped up to the mike,
He gave a little sigh.
We thought he was a goner,
Then to everyone’s surprise…

He answered all the questions-
He knew factors, roots and primes,
Dictionary definitions, all the words
And all the rhymes.
He knew physics and astronomy,
Beethoven and Bach,
Animal taxonomy and the price of every stock

Chorus:

Private Prep andMartinville
Had wound up in a tie.
The lightning round was fast and tough.
Their team was first to try.
They answered thirty questions,
A smug look in their eye
Then Tommy stood up by himself
And let the answers fly.

He knew every super hero,
He knew every movie star,
Every sport card stat and record fact
And every model car.
He could name the head of state of every
Country on the map,
The average yield a springtime maple tree
Would give in sap.
He answered every question
To a count of thirty one.
Before he even took a breath-
Tommy Hook had won!!!

That fateful day I found a wayto learn
And to succeed.
I just crack a book like Tommy Hook
and read and read and read.